Influence of Inorganic Salts on Soils Liquid and Plastic Limits
Abstract: This study focused
on the influence of inorganic salts on soil liquid limit (LL) and plastic limit
(PL). Sodium chloride, NaCl, potassium nitrate KNO3 and calcium sulphate, CaSO4
of various concentrations were added to two subsoils. Their liquid and plastic
limits before and after contamination were monitored. Soil cation exchange
capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (sodium, Na+, potassium, K+, and calcium,
Ca2+) and exchangeable anions (chloride, Cl-, nitrate, NO3, and sulphate, SO42-)
were determined. A set of equations for predicting LL and PL, (with R2 = 0.908
to 0.990) at different levels of chemical interaction with time was developed
using multiple regression analysis model. The results showed that both NaCl and
KNO3 brought about reduction in LL and PL while CaSO4 addition led to increment
in LL and PL. The predictive equations revealed that there is high tendency for
the contaminated soils to regain their uncontaminated LL and PL values with
time.
Keywords: Cation exchange
capacity, contamination, exchangeable cation, liquid limit, plastic limit,
subsoils
Author: Ayininuola, G.M.,
Agbede, O.A
Journal Code: jptsipilgg130012
